The invention described in this specification primarily pertains to new and improved toothbrush sterilizing devices.
It is often recognized that small particles of food or the like and bacteria will remain on a toothbrush after the brush is used. Although the vast majority of such contaminants are normally removed from a tooth brush by rinsing, it is highly probable that not all contaminants will be removed from a toothbrush in this manner. As a consequence of this, there is a reasonable likelihood that some contamination will remain on a toothbrush after it has been used and rinsed in a conventional manner. Of course any such remaining contaminating material will be inserted into the mouth when the brush is used again.
It is easy to see how this could result in harmful or potentially harmful bacteria being introduced back into the mouth. Further, the conventional manner of using and reusing a toothbrush has the potential of introducing greater quantities of bacteria into the mouth than survived the usual rinsing of the brush as result of such bacteria growing on the vestiges of food particles remaining on the brush after rinsing during the interim between uses of the brush. As science becomes increasingly aware of the importance of sanitation or hygience, it is being increasingly recognized that any procedure which has the potential of introducing possibly harmful bacteria into the human system is undesirable.
Obviously there are many known sterilizing methods which could be used to make sure that contaminants are not tansferred into a mouth on a previously used toothbrush. Various conventional techniques such as autoclaving, exposing to sterilizing gases and using appropriate radiation tending to kill bacteria are all capable of being used in sterilizing toothbrushes prior to their being reused. The use of such techniques of this purpose is considered to be undesirable in the usual domestic residence because of any one of a variety of reasons. In general such techniques are not simply not practical for use with a single toothbrush.
It is also possible to use known sterilizing solutions for the purpose of disinfecting toothbrushes between uses. This type of procedure has the disadvantage that it normally requires the maintenance for a glass or similar container of the disinfectant in a location adjacent to where a toothbrush is used. This is occasionally undesirable because of the possibility of a child consuming the disinfectant. Also a glass of a liquid containing one or more toothbrushes can tend to be somewhat unsightly. It is considered more important that the prolonged immersion of at least the brush or head end of a toothbrush in a container of a disinfectant can be detrimental to the brush.